Eden's Hammer - By Lloyd Tackitt Page 0,21

I think they are coming this way for a purpose. They haven’t veered off a straight line toward us since we first heard of them. One refugee that came through indicated they’ve heard of us, probably because we do so much trade and have a hospital. Face facts: we’ve been advertising our presence by trading with anyone that has something to trade, and word of the hospital has spread far and wide. It’s possible—even likely—that they’ve heard of us and got it in their heads that we are a prize worth taking. Fact is, they’re right; we are a prize. We have a great setup, we’re growing more food than anyone we know of, and we have medical facilities. Look at us—we’re drinking ice tea; what do you want to bet we’re the only people in Texas doing that? I think they are coming here specifically.”

Perry replied, “Right or wrong, they appear to be coming here, and if they are, they’ll be here too soon to hope they won’t. They no doubt interrogate as many victims as they can, and the closer they get, the more they’ll hear and know about us. So even if they hadn’t decided on coming here from the beginning, odds are they will soon.”

CHAPTER 6

JANUARY 18, EARLY AFTERNOON

REX WAS PUTTING HIS PLAN in motion today. The scouts had returned. Roman was not only alive, but thriving. He had developed a village complete with a hospital. Rex was thrilled to hear of the hospital; that meant his original plan for Adrian could be implemented without change. It was now just a matter of drawing Adrian back to the village and capturing him. He chose one hundred and seventy-five men for this operation. It would take weeks for the plan to develop. He assembled his chosen troops after informing the men that were not chosen they were to maintain operations until his return.

“Men,” he said, “I have located a veritable Garden of Eden. A place where fresh food is plentiful, water is abundant, and warm houses await. There are plenty of women to amuse you and a fully equipped hospital for those times you may need one. It’s a center of trade, and we’ll charge outrageously for medical care. We will capture the village, make the men slaves to work the fields, and live like kings.” The men cheered, an uncharacteristic action for them. For men who lived by raiding, this sounded like a dream come true.

“All we have to do is march cross-country until we reach this paradise, then take it for ourselves. The men there don’t know how to fight; they’ll be easy pickings for you. On the way, we will live off the land, raiding as we go. We’ll travel light, but not too quickly. It’ll be an easy march, but a long one. Pack your supplies and be here in one hour. Bring canteens, food, sleeping gear, your best hiking boots, and, of course, your rifles and ammunition.”

Rex assembled his honor guard. “Men, I’ll be gone a couple of months. Roger, I’m leaving you in command. All I want you to do is maintain operations as they are; you’re not to try to expand or get into new ventures. Understood?”

“Yes, sir!”

By that evening, Rex and his expeditionary force had walked single file for most of the day. When they reached their first camping spot and the men had set up for the night, Rex called in his officers. “We’re going to continue this course until we reach Fort Brazos. Don’t worry, it’s not really a fort—they just call it that. It’s a soft village ripe for the picking. We’ll spread out in a line about a mile across and pick up food and supplies from all of the homes and towns we come across as we go. Organization will be teams of ten men or less. Each of you will be responsible for four teams. Pick your four team leaders and their second in command carefully. Communication will be by runner. The runners will move back and forth along the line. Each night, we’ll camp in the same order, teams spread out. I’ll give you further orders as we go. Be ready to move out at daylight.”

Rex dismissed the men and returned to his wall tent. He had chosen a camouflaged baker-style tent. Each evening when his men set up the tent, camouflage netting was placed over it and brush worked into the net. From a distance it would be invisible, the netting